Poultry-coop.



No. 694376. Patented Mar. u, m02.

J V. MITCHELL.

PouzrRY'couP.

(Application filed Nov. 14. 1901.)

(llo Model.)

` AW ,im

UNITED STATES PATENT @Forum J. VESSEY MITCHELL, OF OTTAWA, KANSAS..

POULTRY-COO P.

'SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 694,976, dated March 11, 1902. llpplication filed November 14, 1901. Serial No. 32,332. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, J. VEssnY MITcHELL, a citizen ofk the United States, residing at ttawa, in the county of Franklin and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Poultry-Coop, of which the following is a specifi- A further object is to dispense with the ernplcyment of springs, catches, loops, hinges, orjoints, that add to the Weight of the struc` ture and its cost of production andare liable to get out of order and to catch on other coops when piled up in a car or while being transferred from point to point, Y

With these and other object-s in view,as will appear as the nature of the invention'is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a poultry-coop, as will be hereinafter' described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a' part of this specification .and in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, there is illustrated a form of embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the elements therein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from the scope of the invention, and in these drawings Figure 1 is a View in perspective of a coop constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view in transverse section. Y

The coop comprises a bottom 1, constructed of a series of slats suitably spaced apart to permit escape of refuse matter from the coop, sides 2, ends 3, a top et, and a centrallydisposed partition 5. Each end consists of two uprights 6 and two cross-pieces 7, the cross-pieces being secured on the outside of the cornerfuprights, so that the Wire-netting 8 will be disposed Within the outer frame of the end, and thus be protected from injury and prevented from catching on objects. Each side consists of two longitudinal pieces 9 and two vertical pieces 10, the wire-netting along the sides of the box'being secured to lthe inner sides of the pieces 9 and 10 for the purpose above stated, the uprights 10 being secured to the uprights', as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The top consists of four longitudinal pieces 11, l2, 13, and 14, the pieces 12 and 13 being separated along the length of the coop to present an opening through which poultry may be placed in the coop orremoved there from, the opening being normally closed by a slide 15, working in keepers 16, secured to the upper edges of the top cross-pieces 7 and to a similarv cross-piece 17 ot the partition 5,v

the longitudinal pieces of the top being also secured to these parts and the netting being secured thereunder.

The partition 5 comprises two longitudinal pieces 17 and two vertical pieces 18, to the sides of which is secured the netting 8, the frame being held in position in the coop by nails or other suitable fastening devices driven through the members of the bottomot the coop and through the longitudinal members of the sides and top thereof. In order to brace the coop against sagging, two bracewires 19 are employed, the center portion of each of which is secured to the longitudinal pieces 9 by staples or the like, and the terminals of the pieces of wire forming the braces `being bent at right angles to the length of the Wire and driven into the upper longitudinal pieces 9 of the sides,I by which arrangement, when the sides are'assembled with the ends, the brace-rods will be positively held against disconnection.

If preferred, the netting constituting the sides and ends of the box may be of separate pieces secured to the respective parts; 'but as a matter of specific improvement to render the coop stronger and to reducethenumber of fastening means employed to associate the netting with the frame members it is preferred to construct the sides and ends of a continuous piece of netting, which may be readily accomplished by first setting up the corner-nprights @securing the netting around IOO these, then assembling the cross-pieces 7 with the uprights, then assembling the longitudinal pieces 9 and the sides in the manner described, and then stapling the netting to all of these parts.

As a means for holding the slide in locked position over the opening in the top of the crate a catch 2O in the nature of a bolt or pin is passed through the center keeper and through the slide, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

By the manner of assembling the parts of the coop, as herein set forth, an exceedingly light but strong and durable structure is presented which will successfully stand rough handling and may be employed for shipping poultry of any kind with safety and comfort to the poultry, as by forming the sides, ends, and top of the structure of wire-netting of large mesh thorough ventilation will be afforded.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A poultrycoop comprising corner-uprights having Wire-netting secured thereto, side and end pieces scoured tothe outer sides of the uprightsgthere'by to throw the netting within the plane of those parts, a bottom secured to the side and end pieces, an open- Work partition secured intermediate of the ends of the coop, a two-part open-work top, composed of netting held in place by longitudinal slats, and a slide disposed between the members of the top, substantially as described.

2. A poultry-coop comprising open-Work sides, ends and top, an open-work partition disposed intermediate of the ends of the coop, and diagonally-disposed brace-rods secured intermediate of their ends to the lower portion of the sides of the coop and having their terminals formed into prongs to be driven into the inner faces of the corners of the top members of the sides.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

J .p VESSEY MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

C. H. Es'rABRooK, G. C. SMITH.Y 

